I was watching Women of the Hour, starring the fabulous Anna Kendrick, and there’s a scene that hit home for me. Anna’s character is in a casting meeting. The casting team are rude, misogynistic, and condescending. Despite this, Anna’s character is agreeable. Pleasant. Nice. She nods, smiles, and laughs politely. She doesn’t challenge anything, and […]

Sleep hygiene is often the first thing people are told to try when they can’t sleep.Avoid caffeine. Put your phone away. Keep to a regular bedtime. Make the bedroom dark and cool. For many people, this helps. But for others, it doesn’t — and that can feel deeply confusing and invalidating. If you’ve “done everything […]

…but maybe they shouldn’t be part of yours You may have already noticed that, as well as being a Clinical Psychologist, I’m also a dachshund mum. I share my home (and, let’s be honest, my bed and my heart) with two miniature dachshunds, Nala and Bonnie. They are complete sass queens – dramatic sighs, selective […]

If you spend any time on the internet or social media, you’ve probably noticed there is a lot of information — and misinformation — about the nervous system and how to “fix” it. Breathing hacks. Vagus nerve tricks. Cold plunges. Morning routines that somehow require an extra hour you don’t have. Ironically, even trying to […]